REGARDING THE TORTURE ON RELIGIOUS BASIS WHICH IS BEING PERFORMED UPON ARCHBISHOP JOVAN

Filed under: General — February 20, 2013 @ 8:32 am

On 14.02.2013 the analysis of prof. Mirjana Najcevska, regarding the media in the developed democratic countries and their role as controllers of the authorities in the aspect of the respect and protection of the human rights, was published. The analysis was prepared as part of the USAID project for strengthening of the media in Skopje – Component Service for validation of the media facts, implemented by Metamorphosis. The analysis is provided through the support of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents of the analysis are responsibility of the author and they do not reflect the stances of Metamorphosis, USAID or the U.S. Government.

In the analysis, prof. Mirjana Najcevska is treating the important role in the implementation of the verdicts of the European Court for Human Rights, which the media has in the developed democratic countries, and at the same time is elaborating the state in which the media in R. Skopje are found, in regard to the mentioned subject.

Among the other points of the analysis, prof. Mirjana Najcevska concludes that in the media there is not even an attempt for connecting the current processes which are being led in the courts, with the existing verdicts of the European Court for Human Rights. As it is pointed out in the analysis, despite the fact that there are verdicts of the European Court for Human Rights which address the detention as means for violation of the European Convention on Human Rights by the judicial organs of R.Skopje , the journalists are not even in one of the current cases of prolonged detention, and such is the case of Archbishop Jovan according to the analysis, attempting to interconnect these data and are not raising the question of the appropriateness of the applied measure.

Although for Archbishop Jovan of Ohrid there is an effective verdict for two-and-a-half years of imprisonment, state torture on religious is being performed upon him, and he is being held in severe detention regime since June 11, 2012!

In the last ten years, as soon as one court process against Archbishop Jovan of Ohrid finishes, a new one is immediately started against him, and he is being imprisoned for the sixth time. Amnesty International has declared him a prisoner of conscience! Last year, the persecution on religious basis was extended upon other Bishops, monastics and citizens members of the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric. The international reports note that in R. Skopje there are problems of disrespect of the religious freedoms of all citizens equally, fact that would have to be overcome if R. Skopje intents to become a part of the advanced democracies! In the Skopje media, with rare exceptions of objective journalists, the religious persecution is being silenced, and the journalists which Freedom House names political appointees, are most often spreading hate speech against the pan-orthodoxly recognized Church in R. Skopje – the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric!

The Analysis of prof. Mirjana Najcevska is published in whole on the following address:http://www.plusinfo.mk/mislenje/752/ANALIZA-Mediumite-za-presudite-na-Evropskiot-sud-za-chovekovi-prava

Patriarchal Letter to the Prime Minister of FYROM Mr. Vlado Buckovski

 Prot. No. 799 While we were in the process of resolving a peaceful way for our Holy and Great Church of Christ to mediate between the Holy Churches of Serbia and Skopje that are in a dispute and as we were coming to a conclusion of this matter, the arrest and imprisonment of His Eminence Metropolitan John, which received great attention from the Mass Media, has deeply saddened and puzzled us. We are of the opinion that in inter-ecclesial issues of such grave importance that self-restraint, the study of the problem in the spirit of the Gospel and with Christian-like patience, and peaceful dialogue should prevail. This is due to the fact that the Church cannot justify in any case adopting worldly means in her administration and in this way being exposed to the whole of the Ecclesiastical body. Since we have ascertained from our personal meeting with you that you indeed honestly wish for the settling of this ecclesiastical issue according to unchangeable Canon Law of the Orthodox Church, we would like to ask paternally Your Excellency to give counsel to Their Eminences the Hierarchs to return to the table of negotiations with the Holy Church of Serbia, stating that our Modesty is always willing to assist and intercede in the peaceful resolution of this problem that has greatly saddened the entire body of the Local Orthodox Churches. In addition, as a demonstration of good will, we encourage Your beloved Excellency to order the immediate release of His Eminence John from prison, since the impression that has been formed abroad about the infringement of human rights in your country, as we have witnessed, is very unfavourable and works against your international relations, especially in view of your country’s aspiring accession to the European Union. Thus, invoking the abundant grace and enlightenment of God upon the prime ministerial work of Your Excellency, we remain with deep love in the Lord and every esteem. 11 August 2005 Your Excellency’s fervent supplicant before God, + Bartholomew of Constantinople His Excellency Mr. Vlado Buckovski Prime Minister of FYROM,